Here’s a recent list of laws signed in California and similar versions are signed into other democratic states including New York.
The following bills were signed into law in 2023:
- AB 223 (Ward) – Transgender Youth Privacy Act
- Protects the privacy of trans and nonbinary minors by keeping gender and sex identifier change petitions confidential.
- AB 5 (Zbur) – The Safe and Supportive Schools Act.
- Equips educators with high-quality training to create inclusive classrooms and address the unique challenges faced by all students, including LGBTQIA+ students. By fostering safer, more supportive learning environments, the bill enhances student well-being, boosts academic success, and promotes equity in education.
- AB 760 (Wilson) – Protecting Affirmed Names & Gender Identity in Higher Education
- Ensures California public colleges and universities respect students’ affirmed names and gender identities in records where legal names aren’t required. It bans requiring legal documentation for name changes on diplomas and mandates inclusive record-keeping policies to support transgender and nonbinary students, staff, and faculty.
- AB 783 (Ting) – Ensuring Awareness of All-Gender Restroom Requirements
- Requires cities and counties issuing business licenses to notify applicants that all single-user restrooms in businesses, public spaces, and government buildings must be designated as all-gender facilities. This ensures compliance with existing law and promotes inclusive, accessible restrooms for all.
- SB 760 (Newman) – Ensuring All-Gender Restrooms in Schools
- Requires all California K-12 schools to have at least one gender-neutral restroom by July 1, 2026. This law promotes inclusivity, safety, and dignity for LGBTQ+ and nonbinary students, ensuring they have access to facilities where they feel comfortable and respected.
- AB 994 (Jackson) – Law enforcement: social media
- Requires law enforcement to use the name and pronouns given by an arrested individual in social media posts and mandates the removal of booking photos after 14 days unless exceptions apply. It strengthens privacy protections and ensures fair treatment in public communications.
- SB 372 (Menjivar): Protecting Privacy in Professional Licensing
- Ensures that licensed professionals can update their name and gender on records with the Department of Consumer Affairs without their former name or gender being publicly disclosed. It mandates confidentiality, fair fees, and online record updates while maintaining transparency for enforcement actions.
- SB 407 (Wiener) – Ensuring Inclusive and Supportive Foster Care
- Requires families to affirm and support foster children regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. It also strengthens caregiver training to ensure foster parents can meet the diverse needs of all children in their care, promoting a safe and inclusive foster system.
- SB 857 (Laird) – Establishment of an LGBTQ+ Advisory Task Force
- Requires the Superintendent of Instruction to convene an LGBTQ+ advisory task force to identify needs and recommend policies for a safer, more supportive learning environment. Convening by July 1, 2024, the task force will ensure students have a voice in shaping inclusive education policies and promoting dignity and equity in California schools.
